30 Years DSV

Ensuring everyone in Europe has access to adequate social protection is a core principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights. The many transformations our society is currently undergoing – green, digital, and demographic to name but three – make it even more important that our social safety nets are fit for purpose. I congratulate the European Representation of German Social Insurance on its 30th anniversary – keep up the good work!

Since it was founded in 1993, the health, pension and accident insurance companies have been working closely together in German Social Insurance European Representation (DSV) in Brussels in order to ensure that political interests are jointly presented to the EU. DSV has succeeded for three decades in meeting the thoroughly diverse range of tasks - ranging from the standardisation of health and social services up to the pillar of digital health and care. I would like to warmly congratulate DSV’s entire team in Brussels on the occasion of its 30th anniversary and wish them all continued success in implementing all of their activities.

Congratulations on the 30th anniversary of the German Social Insurance (DSV)! I really appreciate the cooperation with the European representation. The European social model is unique in the world, not only in its quality but also in its complexity. That is why regular exchanges with its guarantors – the national social security institutions – are absolutely essential for EU politicians working for a strong social Europe in Brussels.

I would like to congratulate DSV on its 30th birthday. We live in a connected Europe. Living and working within the EU without being discriminated against is a tremendous accomplishment. This could not and would not succeed in practice unless the national social security systems became Europeanised. DSV has been making contributions to this for the last 30 years. Thank you very much for that. I look forward to working with DSV again in the future to ensure strong social rights for mobile EU citizens.

I consider the German Social Insurance European Representation (DSV) an important pan-European partner that plays a crucial role in representing the interests of our citizens. The European Union has changed during my time as an MEP and over the years and is no longer just an Economic and Monetary Union. In fact, social and health issues becoming increasingly significant is important and right. Looking back 30 years or just 3 years, we can see that health policy has become more and more important in the EU. The EU is working hard to realise the proposed European Health Union. Initially, cross-border healthcare with the Patient Mobility Directive was one of a few health-related issues. Now, however, there are a multitude of such topics, such as HTA, MDR, the Beating Cancer Plan as well as the amendment to the legislation on medicinal products, SOHO and now the European Health Data Space (EHDS). There have also been important changes at the institutional level, such as the introduction of the BECA and COVI special committees and the SANT subcommittee, the HERA crisis instrument and stronger mandates for the EMA and the ECDC. In many areas, cooperation at European level can be usefully strengthened. More intensive cooperation in the evaluation of medical devices and medicinal products is necessary to ensure high-quality healthcare for patients treated with new devices. Another important concern of mine is cancer prevention and therapy. It becomes apparent once again that we need joint action in Europe, e.g. in digitisation. There is much to be done in all these areas and we have many more projects concerning European health policy in the pipeline. The DSV will continue to actively support us in this and I am very happy about that.

The joint European effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and all that it entailed, i.e. vaccine development and procurement, prevention work, support through short-time working in the industry and many more besides, showed just how important cooperation and collaboration are for maintaining social security within Europe. However, many tasks still lie ahead of us here, ranging from the meaningful implementation of digitisation to the challenge of a society that is ageing on average. I therefore congratulate German Social Insurance European Representation on its 30th anniversary – and keenly look forward to the next 30 years.

Congratulations German Social Insurance European Representation! 30 years of commitment to social protection of those who are often forgotten in the health and labour sectors. Looking forward to another 30 years of joint pursuit for a social Europe.

A strong social security scheme is an essential part of social market economy that has made Germany successful. Joint coverage gives citizens safety and confidence. Therefore, on the occasion of today's 30th anniversary of the German Social Insurance European Representation, I wish it all the best and further successful work.

The German social insurance system is one of the cornerstones of both our welfare state and a fair and balanced coexistence. This concept is of immense importance, especially at European level. I appreciate cooperating with German Social Insurance’s European Representation in Brussels to promote the collective social concept and I am delighted to be able to congratulate on their 30th anniversary!

Social protection for citizens is one of the greatest achievements of modern democracies. Exchanges at European level are essential as the EU continues to grow together. Challenges of the future, i.e. the consequences of the climate crisis that are already being felt today, must continue to be dealt with in dialogues between all of the social partners and decision-makers in order to be able to respond to any new challenges and to continue securing our citizens’ standard of living.

We EU citizens make up less than 5 per cent of the world's population. But almost half of the social benefits in the world are paid out to EU citizens. Nowhere else are there systems anywhere near as developed as ours. We value social security in Europe. To maintain it we need huge innovation and production efforts as well as continually reforming our systems to keep them working well. So: Happy Birthday DSV! All the best!

Today’s statutory social security systems are still the most visible expression of the precautionary thinking that has characterised Europe for decades. The Corona pandemic has clearly shown that we need to strengthen this precautionary thinking again in order to be able to overcome such challenges in the future. German Social Insurance European Representation has made a decisive contribution to this strengthening through its work during the last 30 years. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations on this anniversary and wish everyone many more successful decades in the service of the best possible security for the people of Europe!

A huge compliment to the top organisations in the German Social Insurance system and those responsible for them. Back in 1993 they were the first to actively engage in shaping policy through their joint representation in Brussels in order to provide strong social support to the European single market. This was not only courageous, exemplary and forward-looking, it also generated broad and lasting recognition amongst other EU authorities and inspired the social security systems in many other member states to become involved in coordinated, value-based shaping of European social policy in a spirit of partnership and success.